Safety core-sampling apparatus



7 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. GAUBAN SAFETY CORE-SAMPLING APPARATUS June 8, 1965 Filed Feb. 10. 1961 June 8, 1965 o. GAUBAN 3,187,824

SAFETY CORE-SAMPLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 10, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet; 2

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AWOA /VEY United States Patent 3,187,824 SAFETY CORE-SAMPLING APPARATUS Daniel Gauban, Paris, France, assignor to Electricite de France (Service National), Paris, France, a French national service Filed Feb. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 88,361 Claims priority, application France, Feb. 15, 1960, 818,459; Jan. 25, 1961, 850,683 8 Claims. (Cl. 17578) My invention has for its object an autonomous safety apparatus adapted to remove and bring to daylight samples obtained at the periphery of a bore hole or channel of a reduced diameter at any desired depth. Said apparatus includes inside a casing, the bulk of which is slightly less than that corresponding to the diameter of the bore hole or channel to be examined, a motor having a shaft extending longitudinally, i.e. in parallelism with the axis of the bore hole or channel, a tubular core-sampling member adapted to revolve round an axis radial with reference to said bore hole and to be shifted longitudinally of the latter, means for transforming the rotary movement of the motor round its longitudinal axis into a rotary movement round an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said core-sampling member and, lastly, axial control means adapted to communicate to said core-sampling member in succession a gradual forward progression first and, thereafter, a speedy return movement to make said member recede within the outline of the bore hole.

The arrangement for transforming the movement of rotation round an axis parallel with the axis of the bore hole into a rotation round an axis perpendicular to said last-mentioned axis is advantageously obtained by a nonreversible worm gear, the rotation of which is transmitted through sprocket wheels, on the one hand, to a tool-carrying pinion associated with sampling means and, on the other hand, to a worm producing the progression of a nut-shaped plate associated with said toolcarrying pinion through the agency of a sun-and-planet speed-reducing gear including an elongated disconnectable pinion meshing with said tool-carrying pinion.

A safety arrangement is provided for ensuring the inward or receding movement of the core-sampling member in the case of a failure in operation or of a locking ascribable to any undesired reason. This safety arrangement is operated by the tractional stress applied directly on the core-sampling member as allowed by the use of a reversible high pitch progression-controfling worm. This arrangement is of a particular interest for the investigation of vertical channels and it may advantageously be handled by clamping members subjected to a remote control and there are consequently provided, in accordance with a further object of my invention, looking means engaging the wall of the channel or bore hole, said locking means resorting to a maximum extent to the weight of the actual apparatus and also to that of the clamping members which serve for its handling.

The essential features and advantages of my invention will appear in the reading of the following description, given by way of exemplification, of an apparatus adapted for the investigation of vertical bore holes, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 7

FIGS. 1 and 1A form together a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus through a diametrical plane.

FIGS. 2 and 2A form together an elevational view of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a detail sectional view through line III-J11 of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the corresponding arrows.

3383,824- Patented J lane 8, 1965 FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views corresponding to the lines and arrows IV--IV and V-V of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional view through line VI-VI of FIG. 1, as seen in the direction of the corresponding arrows.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view through line VII- VII of FIG. 6 as seen in the direction of the corresponding arrows. I

FIG. 8 is a cross-section through line VIIIVIII of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the corresponding arrows, the tool being illustrated in its outermost position.

of FIG. 8, as seen in the direction of the corresponding arrows.

FIG. 10 is a detail endwise view of the tool as seen in the direction of the arrow X of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a detail sectional view through line XIXI of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the kinematic chain constituted by the gear wheels controlling the tool.

FIGS. 13 to 16 are partial sectional views showing the main parts of the apparatus during four successive stages of operation, to wit: respectively during the downward movement (FIG. 13), in its lowermost position in which it is left by its carrying clamping means (FIG. 14), in its locked position corresponding to a preliminary upward movement (FIG. 15) and, finally, in its released position corresponding to the final rising movemen (FIG. 16). I

In the embodiment illustrated, the apparatus designed for investigation of a vertical channel or bore hole of a substantially circular cross-section at any desired depth, appears as an elongated cylinder having a diameter slightly smaller than that of the channel to be investigated. It includes,'as shown in FIGS. 1, 1A and 2-2A a central block 1 serving as a housing for the sampleremoving tool which is designated as a whole by the reference number 2 and for its driving mechanism, said block being associated with an upper block 3 containing the means for suspending and locking the apparatus and with a lower block 4 containing an electric vDC. motor 5 adapted to be fed by a storage batterycontained in a cylindrical fiuidtight casing 6. Said casing, shown in FIG. 1A, appears in the present embodiment as constituted by a cylinder having the same diameter as the apparatus and the upper end of which forms an end-piece 7 provided with an annular groove 8 which allows its handling together with the remainder of the apparatus by means of clamping means when it is desired to introduce said apparatus into a borehole or channel and to removeit out of the latter. Said endpiece carries two elastic contact-pieces projecting above it and of which one is arranged axially at 9 and the other eccentrically at it), said projecting contact-pieces extending longitudinally of the cylinder, being connected with the terminals of the storage battery which is not shown in detail and, on the other hand, being adapted to engage respectively .an axial contact-piece 11 and a contact ring 12 which are connected in their turn with the corresponding terminals of the motor 5 through wires 13. I a t The shaft 14 of the motor extending in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the apparatus and which passes through the flange 15 connecting the lower block 4 with the central block 1, carries inside the latter a movement-transforming gear constituted by a worm 16 meshing with a worm wheel 18 forming the input wheel of a gearing 20.driving the tool (see also FIG. 12). The

spindles carrying the wheels of said gearing and the tool axis are all directed perpendicularly to the longi- FIG. 9 is a detail sectional view through line lX---IX tudinal axis of the bore hole. The output wheel 21 of said gearing meshes with a wheel 22 on the inner surface of which are formed a series of clutch teeth 24 adapted to engage cooperating clutch teeth 25 provided for this purpose on the adjacent surface of an elongated pinion26 provided with a cylindrical series of teeth and keyed to .a spindle 27 'revolvably carried at one end 28 inside the bore formed in the hub- 23 ,of the wheel 22, while its other end formed on a section of a larger diameter, is revolvably' carried inside a socket 29;. Said terminal, section 30 is provided with an annular groove 31 and its inner shouldered part forms an abutment for a plate 32 constituted by a disc, the diameter of which is equal to or slightly larger than the outerdiameter of the teeth on the elongated pinion 26 provided with clutch teeth. Three springs 33 arranged in registry with said plate, urge constantly said pinion 26 through the agency of the push members 34 towards the right-handside of FIG. 1, so as to hold the clutch teeth 24 and 25 in their engaged position. i

The wheel 22 meshes with a wheel 35, the hub of which 36 carries in its axial bore the end 37 of a worm 38 which is keyed and pinned to said hub 36, said worm 38 having an outwardly flaring frusto-conical head 40 controlling the progression of the tool, .as will be disclosed hereinafter. In the case illustrated, said worm is provided with two high-pitch threads cooperating with a nut-shaped plate 41 forming the web of a toothed wheel 42 (FIG. 8) meshing with the elongated abovementioned pinion 26 carrying clutch teeth for the clutch. To said plate is secured furthermore the tool body 44 constitute-d by a thick-Walled tubular section and revolvably carried inside a socket 43 and to the outer free end of which are secured the actual tools constituted by two boring bits 45 and 46. Said boringibits cooperate with a cutting off tool or knife 47 carried at the end of a pivot 48 revolvably carried in a longitudinal bore formed in the tool body 44 and the inner end of which carries a lever 50 adapted to cooperate with the frusto-conical surface of the above-mentioned head 40 of the worm 38. As clearly shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the tool body 44 includes in proximity with and in parallelism with the bore in'which the pivotal spindle 48 revolves and in registry with the inoperative position of the knife 47, another narrow blind bore 51 inside which may slide a locking pin 52 which is urged by a small spring 53.

outwardly and the shifting of which is limited by a pin 54 (FIGS. 10 and l l).

The wheel 42 carries in addition to the tool body, on the inside of the series of teeth provided on it and round the area through which it is attached to the tool body 44, a roller bearing 55 protected by a ball race 56 (FIG. 8) which acts as a stop for the ends 57 of two bent releasing levers 58 (FIG. 1) which are pivotally carried by spindles 59 rigid with an intermediate part 69 fitted between the two blocks 1 and 3, said levers 58 being pivotally secured at 61 to a link 62. Thus, the coresampling member, of which the tool body 44 forms part, may revolve freely over the worm 3 8 when urged rearwardly by the ends 57 of the levers, as disclose-d hereinafter, said releasing levers forming safety means.

'As illustrated in 'FIGS. 3 to 5, one of the two pivots 61 for'the bent levers 58 terminates with a stud 61A adapted to cooperate with a boss 63 formed at one of the ends of a disconnecting lever 64, the pivot 65 of which is carried revolvably along aradius ofthe bore hole inside the wall of, the central block 1., Said disconnecting lever carries at its end opposed to said boss 63 a transversely shifted projection. 66 engaging the gap between the wheel 22 and the adjacent surface of the elongated pinion 26 in registry with the. dog-clutch 24-25.

'As readily apparent from examination of'FIGS. 6

and 7, there is provided in registry with the terminal section 30 of the spindle carrying the elongated pinion 26, a locking catch constituted by a small lever 70 adapted to rock round a pivot 71 and carrying a locking projection 72 at one of its ends in registry with said section 30, while its other end extends between a spring 73 and a push member 74 which may be reached from the outside of the apparatus blocks. Said catch 70 is arranged in a manner such that when the spindle section 30 is shifted towards the left-hand side of FIG. 1, its projection 72 engages the groove 31 in said section, while the. push member 74 is urged outwardly.

It should also be remarked that the wheel 22 and the elongated pinion 26 are given the same number of teeth, while the numbers of teeth on the wheels 35 and 42 differ by one tooth, for instance, so that the system of said four members forms a differential gear acting as a speed reducer with a ratio 1/n+1; when said system is in motion, for each revolution of the tool-carrying pinion 42, the latter progresses along the worm38 by a length equal to the pitch of the latter divided by the number of teeth carried by the elongated pinion 26 with the addition of one unit.

:Inside the upper block 3 of the apparatus (FIG. 1), the link 62 referred to hereinabove, is connected through a pin 76 carried in an elongated port 77 of a pull member 80 of a generally cylindrical shapehaving a lower projecting section of a larger diameter finishing with a shoulder 81; said pull member forms with the sleeve 102 in which it is frictionally carried a suspension system; in addition thereto, said pull member carries in registry with three equally distributed generating lines at 120 from one another, cam surfaces starting at their lower end with a receding slope 82 leading to a convex slope 83.. Each of said elementary cam surfaces cooperates with the boss 84 of a cam-shapedlever 85 rigid with a transverse pivot 86 within reach from the outside, and

subjected to the action of a spring 87. urging it into contact with said cam surface 83. To each of said cam levers is secured a blade 88 carrying a set of barbs or projections 89 facing outwardly, so as to engage the wall of the channel or bore hole to be investigated and to ensure, as disclosed hereinafter, a locking of the apparatus during the core-sampling operation. S'aid projections 89 register with gates provided for this purpose in the disconnectable protecting plates 90. Each of said cam-shaped levers is also provided with a tailpiece 91 registering with a push member 92 adapted to slide in a'radial bore 93 formed in the pull member 80, while a terminal slope 105 is provided 'at the upper end of said cam-shaped lever.

The radial bores 9-3 in the pull member 80 all open into an axial bore 94 inside which the push members 92 engage the frusto-conical sloping surface 95 formed at the lower end of a spindle 96 adapted to slide inside said bore 94 and "to be urged upwardly by a spring 97 into contact through a step with a closing plate 98 on the pull member through which it passes so as to carry alt} 1its upper end a plug 100 provided with a shoulder The pull member thus equipped is carried with slight friction inside a sleeve 102 provided at its lower end with a shoulder 103 terminating with a rounded edge 104 registering with'the terminalslope 105 on the camshapedlever 8 5. The sleeve 102 is adapted/to slide inside the cover 106 of the" upper block and is guided in the latter by a key 107 which locksit against rotation. A sprin-g 108 compressed between the shoulder 103 on the sleeve and the bottom of the, cover 106 is gauged in a manner such that the force .with which it expands may be slightly less than'the weight ofthe apparatus resting on it. vThe sleeve is providedat its upper end with an outer annular groove 109 terminating with .a collar -1-10,'the diameter-of which'is equal to that of the shoulder 101 of the terminal plug 100 and said sleeve is provided furthermore, just underneath the groove 109 :3 with two arresting catches 1'11 adapted each to engage the upper end or varm of a spring 112 wound round a stud 11-3, while the other spring end is held in position by a screw 114. The apparatus can be raised and sunk inside a bore hole or channel by clamping means engaging selective-1y the collar 116 and the plug 160 as will be described hereinafter.

The apparatus thus constituted may be handled by means of clamping means provided with remotely controlled claws under the desired safety conditions; said clamping means may be advantageously of the type disclosed for instance by the French patent to Electricit de France No. 1,205,708 filed onAugust 7, 1958 for Improved Handling Clamping Means.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: with a view to removing a sample in an area located at a predetermined height or depth inside a vertical hole 122 (FIGS. 13 to 16), such, for instance, as a channel passing through the core of a nuclear reactor, said channel is emptied of its contents down to the selected depth, or else, if it has been precedingly emptied, it is filled with a dummy load up to the desired height; this being executed, there is introduced into said channel, first the storage battery 6 and, thereafter, the actual core-sampling apparatus.

The apparatus being in its inoperative position illustrtaed in FIG. 1, the sleeve 102 urged downwardly by the spring 198 is held in position by the engagement of the spring 112 inside the arresting catches 111 corresponding thereto on the sleeve. When the whole unit is raised through the catches 121 of the clamping means 192 engaging the underside of the upper collar 110 on the sleeve 102 (FIG. 13), the sleeve rises slightly by 1 or 2 mm., for instance, and compresses the spring 163. As already mentioned hereinabove, the spring 163 is gauged so as to produce through its compression a force Which is just slightly lower than the weight of the apparatus unit equipped with its motor. The springs 112 are then released and returned into their inoperative position.

The whole unit having thus been sunk into position a and reaching a location for which it bears on the storage battery (FIG. 14), the body 120 of the clamping means bears through its actual weight on the plug 1% which, through the agency of the spindle 96, push members 92, cam-shaped levers 35 and supporting blades 38, transmits the stress thus produced onto outwardly directed projections 89 which are then urged into the wall 122 of the channel. ing means having opened their claws, have released the sleeve 102 which is urged back by the spring 1 88 and slides over the slopes 1% formed on the cam-shaped lever 85, which leads to a locking of the apparatus by the projections 89. V

Furthermore and simultaneously with said locking operation of the apparatus through a pushing of the projections 89 into the wall of the channel, the lower section of the apparatus bearing on the storage battery, while the electric contacts have been obtained between 9-11 and 10 12 (FIG. 1A), the motor is energized and drives into rotation the worm 16 and thereby the speed-reducing gear 2% driving the core-sampling tool. The tool body 44 being connected with the tool pinion 42, is driven into rotation by the elongated pinion 26, of which the dog-clutch teeth 25 are urged by the springs 33 into engagement with the cooperating dog-clutch teeth 24 of the pinion 22, which latter then drives, on the other hand, through the agency of the pinion 35, the progression-controlling worm 33. For each revolution of the tool pinion 42, the latter advances along the pinion 26 provided with dog-clutch teeth by a length equal to the pitch of said progression-controlling worm 33 divided by the number of teeth of the pinion 26 plus one. The tools 45 and 46 engage thus slowly the mate- At the same time, the clamp rial inside which they bite gradually. The cutting off or sectioning tool 47 remains inoperative up to the moment at which the tool pinion 42 having progressed by a sufficient amount, the lever 50 carried by the tool body 44 engages the slope constituted by the frusto-conical head 4% on the progression-controlling worm 38; from this moment onward, said lever slides over said slope and produces a gradual pivotal movement of the cutting 0d tool (see also FIGS. 9 and 10), which cuts the sample (FIG. 14) and holds it inside the body 44 of the tool. The locking pin 52 (FIG. 11) urged by the spring 53 enters a position behind the knife 47 and prevents the latter from receding. At the same time, the tool pinion 42 having slid over the pinion 26 during its rotation, abuts against the plate 32 and urges the latter together with the shaft 30 along its axis, so as to make the projection 72 engage the inside of the groove 31 of said shaft 36 (see also FIGS. 6 and .7), which produces, on the other hand, a declutching or separation between the dog-clutch teeth on the pinion 26 and the pinion v22. The pinion 26 being no longer driven, stops revolving and the case is the same for the tool body 44, while the worm 38 continues rotating with the pinion 35 and carries the tool body 44 rearwardly at a high speed. The tool body is thus returned'inside the bulk of the apparatus together with the sample carried by it and it may continue rotating freely inside the apparatus as long as the motor remains energized.

The duration of said sampling operation being of a magnitude of, say, about 30 seconds, the whole system is raised when this sampling time has elapsed, after engagement of the claws of the clamping means underneath the shoulder on the plug 109 (FIG. 15 The sleeve 102 remaining positioned at a much lower level, the spindle rises and abuts against the closing plate 98, so as to carry along with it the pull member during its upward movement, while the cam-shaped levers remain in their outer spaced position under the action of the rounded edge hi4- of the sleeve 102 urged downwardly by the spring,

1%. The slopes 83 of the pull member 80 moveover the bosses 84 of the cam-shaped levers 85 and urge the latter outwardly; the carrier blades 88 are deformed and urge the projections 39 to a still further extent inside the wall of the channel. During this partial rising movement, the pin 76 slides inside the port 77 of the pull member 80. As the latter rises, its shoulder 81 shown in FIG. 1 impinges against the lower end of the sleeve 102 so as to urge the latter upwardly against the action of the spring.

If the tool body 44 is fortuitously locked in the Wall of v the channel during the rising movement described, it may be released through a receding movement of the projections 39; in such a case, the link 62 ensures the desired release of the tool; the rising of the pull member 80 produces, as a matter of fact, as shown in FIG. 16; an upward movement of the pin 76 and, consequently, a pivotal movement round the spindles 59 ofthe releasing bent levers 58 urged into movement by the pivots 61 (see FIGS. 3 to 5). The stud 61A passing over the boss 63 on the disconnecting lever 64 produces a rocking of the latter round its pivot 65 and thereby through the projection 66 (FIG. 6), a declutching movement of the pinion 26 provided with dog-clutch teeth. This ensures the engagement of the lever projection 72 inside the groove 31 of the shaft 30, whereby the tool body 44 is allowed to return into position by revolving over the thread of the progression-producing worm 38, said tool body being urged inwardly by the ends 57 of the lever 58 (see-also FIG. 8), which levers bear against the ball race 56.

The return of the apparatus into its inoperative position is performed as follows: the apparatus being held in position by the claws, is caused to stand on a bearing surface. The cam-shaped levers 85 are first urged outwardly, as provided by rotation through screw drivers, for instance, of their pivots 86 which may be reached to this end from the outside of the apparatus, while the springs 112 are urged inwardly. The pull member being released by the receding movement of the cam bosses 34, the spring 163 expands and urges the sleeve 102 and the pull member downwardly towards the position illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 13, for instance, for which the springs 112 engage the arresting catches 111 in the sleeve 102. When the plug 100 has sunk into position, the pull member 89 resumed its starting position for which it engages the intermediate part 60; it is then possible to release the camshaped levers 85. For the reeng agement of the clutch between the pinion 26 and the wheel 22, it is sufiicient to depress the pusher knob 74 (FIG. 6). The projection 72 moves out of the groove 31 in the shaft 3t) and the plate 32 is urgedback by the springs 33 into a position corresponding to the clutching of the pinion 26, with the wheel 22. For the removal of the sample out of the tool body, it is sufiicient todepress the locking pin 52 (FIG. 11); the cutting tool 47 returns into its inoperative position and the sample may then be removed.

What I claim is:

1. In a core-sampling apparatus for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained within said casing comprising a shaft transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing, an elongated pinion coaxial with said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving means, means normally holding said coupling means in an operative condition, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensur ing permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatably mounted tubular core-samphng tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounding said worm gear and having a tool pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening inmeshing engagement with the worm,

gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear ratio of thetransmission means, worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear, and means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means.

2. In a core-sampling apparatus. for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a borehole, a core-boring assembly contained within said casing comprising a shaft. transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing,

an elongated pinion coaxial with said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving mean-s, means normally holding the coupling means in operative condition, a wormlgear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatably mounted tubular coresampling tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounding said worm gear and having a tool pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening in meshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion tate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon opera ation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear, means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means, suspension means slidably carried by the casing and through which the casing is, adapted to be removed out of the bore hole, means urging downwardly the suspension means with reference to the casing and means controlled by the lifting of the suspension means adapted to release the coupling means.

3.In a core-sampling apparatus for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing Whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained within said casing comprising a shaft transverselydisposed with respect. to the longitudinal axis of the casing, and shiftable along its axis between predetermined limits, driving means, a wheel controlled by said driving means, an elongated pinion coaxially rigid with said shaiit and coaxial with the wheel, coupling means adapted to operatively interconnect the elongated pinion and the wheel, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the wheel and a rotatably mounted tubular core-sampling tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounding-said worm gear and having a tool pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening inmeshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear ratio of the wheel, worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a high speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear and means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means.

4. In a core-sampling apparatus for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained within'said casing comprising a shaft transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casmg, an elongated pinion coaxialwith said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving means, means normally holding said coupling means in an operative condition, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatablymounted tubular core-sampling tool coaxial'with and concentri-. cally surrounding said worm gear and having a tool pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having a external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening in meshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear ratio of the transmission means, worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear, means whereby thetool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means, suspension means slidably carried by the casing and through which the casing is adapted to be removed out of the the means holding it in its operative position and including a member adapted upon operation 'of said suspension means to urge the tool inwardly.

5. In a core-sampling apparatus for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained 7 within said casing comprising a shaft transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing, an elongated pinion coaxial with said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving means, means normally holding the coupling means in operative condition, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatably mounted tubular coresampling tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounding said worm gear and having a pinion coaxially assocated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening in meshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear ratio of the transmission means, Worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool' pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear, means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means, suspension means slidably carried by the casing and through which the casing is adapted to be removed out of the bore hole, means urging downwardly the suspension means with reference to the casing, a link controlled by said suspension means, a pair of bell cranks pivotally connected with said link, pivoting round a stationary point of the casing and the outer ends of which are adapted upon upward drawing of said suspension means to engage the outer surface of the tool pinion to urge it rearwardly, means whereby the movement of the bell cranks under control of said suspension means releases the coupling means against the action of the means holding them in their operative position to thereby disconnect the tool pinion with reference to the driving means.

6. In a core-earn ling apparatus for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained within said casing comprising a shaft transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing, an elongated pinion coaxial with said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving means, means normally holding said coupling means in its operative condition, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatably mounted tubular core sampling tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounding said worm gear and having a pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening in meshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear ratio of the transmission means, worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear,means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means, suspension means slidably carried by the casing and through which the casing is adapted to be removed out of the bore hole, means urging downwardly the suspension means with reference to the casing,

a link controlled by said suspension means, a pair of hell cranks pivotally connected with said link and pivoting round a stationary point of the casing and the outer ends of which are adapted upon operation of said suspenpinion system when the coupling means are released upon 7 outward shifting of the elongated pinion.

7. In a core-sampling apparatus for samplingcores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained within said casing comprising a shaft transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing,

an elongated pinion coaxial with said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving means, means normally holding said coupling means in an operative condition, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatably mounted tubular core-sampling tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounding said worm gear and having a tool pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening in meshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear ratio of the transmission means, worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear, means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releases the coupling means, suspension means slidably carried by the casing and through which the casing is adapted to be removed out of the bore hole, means urging downwardly the suspension means with reference to the casing, said suspension means being provided with outwardly facing cam surfaces, a plurality of easingsecuring arms pivotally secured to the casing to rock in radial planes of the latter and carrying outwardly project ons adapted to engage the bore hole wall, springs urging said easing-securingarms against the cam surfaces on the suspension means, said cam surfaces being adapted for a raised intermediate position of the suspension means to urge the projections on the arms into engagement with the bore hole and means whereby the lifting of the suspension means into their upper position releases the coupling means.

8. In a core-sampling apparatus for sampling cores in bore holes and the like, comprising an elongated casing whose longitudinal axis conforms substantially to the axis of a bore hole, a core-boring assembly contained within said casing comprising a shaft transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing, an elongated pinion coaxial with said shaft, unidirectional driving means, means releasably coupling said elongated pinion to said driving means, means normally holding the coupling means in operative condition, a worm gear spaced from and parallel to the shaft, transmission means ensuring permanent connection of the worm gear with the driving means and a rotatably mounted tubular coresampling tool coaxial with and concentrically surrounda ing said worm gear and having a pinion coaxially associated therewith, said tool pinion having external teeth which mesh with said elongated pinion and having a threaded central opening in meshing engagement with the worm gear to ensure inward movement of the tool pinion under the action of the worm gear, the gear'ratio of the transmission means, Worm gear, elongated pinion and tool pinion being such as will make the tool pinion rotate at a higher speed than the worm gear upon operation of the coupling means whereby said tool pinion is shifted outwardly over the worm gear, means whereby the tool pinion when it has reached its outermost position releasesthe couplingmeans, suspension means slidably carried by the casing and through raising of which the casing is adapted to be removed out of the bore hole, means urging downwardly the suspension means with reference to the casing to exert in combination with the weight of the casing a slightly upwardly directed resultant force on the latter, and means controlled by the lifting of the suspension means adapted to release the coupling means independently of the tool pinion.

1 2 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/36 Shanor 175-78 1/37 Carey 17S78 11/39 Kirby 17578 12/39 Seale 17528 3/51 Kirby 17578 3/51 Kirby 175--78 6/52 Mennecier 17578 X 10/63 Cante 17558 X FOREIGN PATENTS 10/32 Great Britain.

15 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN BENDETI, Examiner. 

1. IN A CORE-SAMPLING APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING CORES IN BORE HOLES AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CASING WHOSE LONGITUDINAL AXIS CONFORMS SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE AXIS OF A BORE HOLE, A CORE-BORING ASSEMBLY CONTAINED WITHIN SAID CASING COMPRISING A SHAFT TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CASING, AN ELONGATED PINION COAXIAL WITH SAID SHAFT, UNIDIRECTIONAL DRIVING MEANS, MEANS RELEASABLY COUPLING SAID ELONGATED PINION TO SAID DRIVING MEANS, MEANS NORMALLY HOLDING SAID COUPLING MEANS IN AN OPERATIVE CONDITION, A WORM GEAR SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO THE SHAFT, TRANSMISSION MEANS ENSURING PERMANENT CONNECTION OF THE WORM GEAR WITH THE DRIVING MEANS AND A ROTATABLY MOUNTED TUBULAR CORE-SAMPLING TOOL COAXIAL WITH AHD CONCENTRICALLY SURROUNDING SAID WORM GEAR AND HAVING A TOOL PINION COAXIALLY ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, SAID TOOL PINION HAVING EXTERNAL TEETH WHICH MESH WITH SAID ELONGATED PINION AND HAVING A THREADED 